Ahoy, Mateys!
After two years of being dead in the water, Fleet Week is setting sail and setting its sights on the island that is New York City!
Navy seamen, Marines and Coast Guard members will be heading back to Manhattan on May 25 and be drifting through May 31 for the main event.
The week-long festival can be traced back to 1982 and almost 3,000 military crew will be attending.
This year marks the return of Fleet Week following the pandemic. The last two annual events were held virtually because of the coronavirus.
The festival’s Instagram account announced the joyous news on Wednesday with a video montage of Navy men and Marines.
Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement how the reemergence of the party signifies the return of NYC life.
“I am honored to have our military’s finest on the steps of City Hall to welcome the return of Fleet Week,” Adams said. “We’re letting our service members know that we are open and proud to welcome them back to our city. I salute their bravery and commitment in defending our nation.”
Rear Admiral Charles Rock, the commander of the Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, added his own memo regarding the reappearance of Fleet Week.
“We’re excited to once again connect with people online in New York and around the world,” he stated. “No matter where you are, people will be able to find us on social media and watch whenever it is convenient for them so they can see how the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard safeguard our nation and how incredible the men and women who serve in uniform are.”
Last year, the sea captain cited “ongoing concerns with COVID-19” as the reason for making the 2021 event digital.
“The Navy is committed to doing everything it can to defeat the coronavirus. Keeping our Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen at home is the best way to ensure we protect the health and safety of New York and our force so we can return to normal as soon as possible,” he noted in a statement at the time.